Internal combustion engine



July 30, 1935.

H. A. GUILFORD ET AL 2,009,493

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 2, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I/awara A. Gull fora? mm fmerso n L sa/and y 9, 1935. H. A. GUILFORD ET AL 2,009,493

INTERNAL COMBUS TION ENGINE Filed April 2, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m m2 8H 5 2 M M I W a v 8 a Q 3 m n O a a M m a m 5 R 6 .4 1| I v 2 r A: mg oi y{ A n 8 m m o H ma I. w I} 3 W m" NW mm 8 mu Wuk w m {w ufl F. 2 ma S 3 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 H. A. GUILFORD ET AL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 2, 1932 gwugntofls Howard A. Gui/fore"! and Fm arson Sold "a lLU July 30, 1935.

Patented July so, 1935 r 2,009,493

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Howard A. Guilford and Emerson L. Soland, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application April 2, 1932, SerialNo. 602,716

6 Claims. (Cl. 123-56) Our invention relates to multiple cylinder inan engine in which the size and number of bearternal combustion engines and has for an object ings required for the engine is reduced. 'to provide an enginein'which the moving parts Other objects of the invention reside in the are completely balancedj novel combination and arrangement of parts and Another object of the invention resides in in the details of construction hereinafter illus- 5 providing an engine in which explosion in one trated and/or described.

cylinder is cushioned through compression in an- In the drawings: other cylinder .by means rigidly connecting to- Fig. 1 is a plan sectional view of our invention gether the pistons of said cylinders; taken through difierent cylinders thereof.

Another object of the invention'resides in pro- Fig. 2 is an elevational sectional view taken 10 viding a crank shaft having a yoke connected on line 2-2 of Fig. thereto and in employing a plurality of cylinders Fig. 3 is an elevational sectional view taken on each having pistons therein, all of the pistons line o being rigidly connected to said yoke. Fig. 4 is an elevational sectional view taken A still further objector the invention resides O e cf F g- 15 in disposing some of the cylinders on one side Fig.- 5 is a diagra ma V ew Sh w the of the yoke and a corresponding number of cyl-' yc of Operation of the engineinders on the opposite side of said yoke. improved engine c p es a crank ca A feature of the invention resides in arranging indicated in its entirety, at Whichcl'ank case on certain of said cylinders in alignment, is rectangular in form, being constructed with An object of the invention resides in arrangside walls II and I end Wa s and and a ing the cylinders symmetrically with respect'to bottom d crankcase being p at the pa'plane containing the axis of the crank shaft Within h crank case"! a f d tw pa and parallel to the direction of travel of the yoke. tiOIls and n which divide the crank case i 25, Another object of the invention resides in three compartments l3, l9 and The D providing an engine in which a lesser number of tions l6 and I! and the end walls l3 and I4 are moving parts are present than in an ordinary provided W bearings 23 d n Which internal combustion engine. a crank shaft 25 is journaled. The walls l3 and A'ieature of the invention resides in providing and the Partitions a11d are each an engine in which two piston structures are Structed WithV-shelJed Openings 25 best Shown 30 employed on thesame side of the crank shaft, in g- 2 Which extend down t said bearingssaid piston structures being arranged so that the e bea 23 and 24 are o med in resultant of the pressure on the one occupies halves, the lower half being designated a identically the same position as the resultant of w ic halves are attached to the crank case the pressure on the other, proper. The upper halves of these bearings con- 35 Another object of the invention resides in con- .sist of caps 28 which are bolted iethe structing said pistons of such area that the magin the customary mannerwhen the p 28 nitude of the resultants on each piston-structure are removed the entire crank shaft 15 y be is the same, dropped down upon the lower halves 21 of said A feature of the invention resides in providing hearing, through the v'shaped openings 26 in 40 an engine in which lateral stresses on the pistons the Various end walls and partitiohs of the crank such as are occasioned through swinging concascnecting rods are entirely eliminated and in F the Purpose of closing the Opening 'which stresses on the crank shaft are reduced. through the upper porhoh the crank case Another object of the invention resides in proa closure 32 is employed which is bolted through Viding an engine in which th piston exerts ef... cap screws 33, to flanges 34 and 35 formed on the fort upon the crank shaft throughout a greater upper edges of the side Walls H and This angle of rotation of the crank shaft than in the closure constructed with depending flanges usual type of internal combustion engines using 35 t the ends thereof, Which he in swinging connecting d tinuation of the end walls [3 and H of the crank' An object of the invention resides in providing e s clearly wn in 31 The n s 6 an engine which will be exceedingly light in in the end walls l3 and M of crank case H) are weight. v closed by means of cover plates 29 and 30 which A feature of the invention resides in providing are bolted to said end walls and to the flanges 55 36 and 31 of closure 32 through cap screws 3|. The crank shaft 25 is best shown in 1. This crank shaft consists of a number of disks 38, 39, 40, 4|, 42 and 43 which are arranged in pairs disposed within the various compartments I8, I9 and 20. Between the two disks 38 and 39 is provided a crank pin 44 which connects the said disks together. In like manner between the disks 40 and 4| is provided a crank pin and similarly between disks 42 and 43 is provided a crank pin 46. The various pairs of disks are connected together through shaft sections 41, 48, 49 and 50 which are journaled in the bearings 2|, 22, 23 and 24 previously referred to. The crank pins 44, 45 and 46 are arranged 120 degrees apart so that the impulses from the combustion of the fuel may be uniformly distributed. The disks 38, 39, 40, 4|, 42 and 43 serve as fly wheels thereby eliminating the necessity of a single fly wheel upon the exterior of the crank case.

From an inspection of the drawings it will be seen that the cylinders of the invention are arranged in three units designated at 5|, 52 and 53, each of which units having piston structures connected with the respective crank pins 44, 45 and 46. Since each of the three units 5|, 52 and 53 are identical in construction, excepting that they operate upon crank pins angularly disposed with respect to one another, only the unit 5| will be described in detail, which is best shown in Fig. 2. To the side walls II and I2 of crank case I0 are attached two cylinder blocks 54 and 55, which extend outwardly from the crank case in opposite directions. The cylinder block 54 comprises cylinders 56, 51 and 58 while the cylinder block comprises cylinders 59, 60 and 6|. Both the cylinder blocks 54 and 55 are identical in construction. The cylinder block 54 comprises a base portion 62 which extends throughout the height of the engine and which is rigidly bolted to the end wall II through bolts 63. The bores 64, 65 and 68 of the three cylinders 56, 51 and 58 extend through the base portion 62 of the cylinder block 54 and communicate with the chamber I8 through an elongated opening 81 in the side wall II. Slot 61 extends throughout the entire height of themachine and serves a purpose to be later described in detail. The base portion 82 covers the elongated opening 61 throughout its extent so, that the entire interior of the crank case is completely enclosed.

Secured to the end of the cylinder block 54 is a cylinder head 89 which is provided with pock-.

ets 10 lying. at the ends bf the bores 64, 65 and 66 of the cylinders 58, 51 and 58. The cylinder head 69 is constructed with pairs of valve chambers 1| and 12 which are connected to suitable manifolds 13 best shown in Fig. 2 whereby a combustible gas may be led into the various cylinders heads 16 are seated against valve seats 18 and the said heads are held in engagement therewith through. suitable compression coil springs 88.

when the valve stem 11 is depressed the valves are open and communication is had through the various manifolds and valve chambers with the bores of the respective cylinders in the ordinary manner. I

The cylinders, 56, 51 and 58 and the cylinder head 88 are surrounded by water jackets 88 whereby a suitable cooling liquid may be circulated about said cylinders to maintain the same at the proper temperature.

Within the various cylinders 56, 51, 58, 59, 58 and GI are disposed pistons 8|, 82, 83, 84, 85 and 86 which reciprocate within the bores of said cylinders in the ordinary manner. These pistons are all rigidly connected to a. cross head 81 which is in the nature of a yoke and through which translatory movement of said pistons is transformed to rotary motion and imparted to the crank shaft 25. The cross head 81 consists of two plates 88 and 89 which are spaced from one another to provide a slot 90 therebetween. A block 9| journaled on the crank pin 44 is slidable transversely of the crank case in the slot 98 of the cross head or yoke 81. The two plates 88 and 89 are held spaced from one another through two spacer sleeves 94 and which are disposed between said plates at the extreme upper and lower ends thereof. Two rods 92 and 93 pass through the sleeves 94 and 95 and also through the plates 88 and 89. These rods are threaded at the centers thereof, as designated at 96, to receive nuts 91 by means of which the two plates 88 and 89 may be clamped together and against the two spacer sleeves 94 and 95 to hold the parts of the yokerigidly attached to one another in proper spaced relation.

The block 9| consists of two halves 98 and 99 which are bolted together through bolts I00. By means of this construction the block 9| may be readily assembled upon the crank pin 44. This block is so constructed as to be slidably received within the slot 90. For the purpose of taking up wear in the cross head 81, shims IOI are employed betweenthe halves 98 and 99 of block 9|. and other shims I02 between the sleeves 95 and the respective plates 88 and 89 of the yoke proper.

The yoke 81 is guided for reciprocating movement in the direction of movement of the various pistons 8|, 82, 83, 84, 85 and 86 as follows: In the bottom I5 and in closure 32 are formed openings I03 and I04 which extend throughout a portion' of the width of the crank case. These openings are centrally disposed with respect to the. crank pin 44. Attached to theibottom I5 and to top 32 through bolts I05 -are two cover plates I06 and I01. These cover plates have ways I08 formed in the same in which suitable guides II1 secured to the yoke 81 may slide. These guides are attached to the ends of the plates 88 and 89 through bolts II8 which are screwed in the same. By means of these guides and ways the yoke 81 is' mounted for translatory reciprocating movement in a direction parallel with the direction of reciprocation of the various pistons of the engine. j

The two rods 92 and 93 used for connecting the plates 88 and 89 of the yoke 81 together are also employed as connecting-rods for connecting certain of the pistons of the engine together. The rod 92 is so disposed that the axis thereof lies in alignment with the axis of the two pistons 8| and 84. This rod is also threaded at its ends as indicated at I09 toscrew into bosses II8 formed in each of the pistons 8| and 82. Lock nuts III also threadedupon the threaded portions I08 of said rod holds the respective pistons in rigid position upon the end of this connecting rod. The rod 93 is similarly utilized to connect the two pistons 83 and 8 together. Pistons 82 and 85 are also rigidly c nnected to the cross head 81. For this purpose two piston rods H2 and 3 are employed which are attached to said pis- 75 tons in identically the same manner as the two rods 52 and 53. These rods are provided at their inner ends with threads I which are screwed into suitable bosses II5 formed at the centers of the two plates 85 and 85. Lock nuts III screwed upon the ends of these rods and abutting against the bosses II5 hold the rods H2 and H3 rigidly attached to the cross head 51,. By means of this construction all of the pistons N and 55 travel in unison and move the cross head in a manner to cause the block M to reciprocate along the slot 90 and procure rotational movement of the crank shaft 25. l I

For procuring operation of the various valves l4 and 15 of the cylinders of the unit the following construction is employed: In the crank case I. are journaled six cam shafts H5, I25, I2I, I22, I25 and I24, two of which are utilized for each of the respective cylinder units II, 52 and 53. The

two cam shafts II! and I2! operate the valves for unit 53. These shafts are journaled in bearings I25 which are attached to the bottom I5 and cover plate 32 of the crank case It and are provided with spiral gears I25 and I2! which mesh with a spiral gear 228 formed on the shaft 55 of crank shaft 25. On the shaft Ill are six the valves inwardly in opposition to the springs 80, opening the valves and admitting gases to and from the cylinders proper. All of the cylinders have similar valves and operating mechanism therefor which are operated by the various cam shafts associated therewith through cams,

valve lifters, push rods and rocker arms the same as the valves of cylinder unit 54. f For the purpose of igniting the fuel mixture in troduced into the various cylinders, spark plugs I ll are employed which are screwed into the cylinder heads 69. These spark plugs are fired in the usual manner through two ignition and timing mechanisms of ordinary 'construction which have been designated by the reference numerals 2M. and 2|! in the drawin vThese devices are operated from the two cam shafts the invention and the cycle of operation of the same is shown in Fig. 5. In this view the cylinders, have been arranged in groups to correspond ,to the units ii, 52 and 53 which are represented by similar reference characters. In Fig. 5 the upper cylinders are those situated to theleft. of

the crank shaft and the lower cylinders are those at the right ofthe crank shaft and in the various views the cylinders have been designated by the The various valve liftsame reference characters. The diagrammatic views shown represent the travel of the cams on the two cam shafts of the unit. Considerin cylinder 51 as firing at position III the period ofexplosion would be represented by the solid portion of the diagram designated by reference character I42. The exhaust valve would open shortly before lower dead center which would be at position I and the cylinder would continue to exhaust throughout the period desigrated by reference character I. At position I45 the exhaust valve would close and the intake valve would open, this position being at opposite dead center. Intake would then occur for the down stroke and during the period I46, the intake valve closing at position I41, which is-somewhat past lower dead center I". Compression would then occur during period I45 until the pistons reach upper dead center, which position is indicated at I after which the cycle of operation would be repeated. It will be noted that the action in cylinder is identically the same as that in cylinder 51 excepting that the cycle of operationls 90 degrees advanced from the cycle of operation of cylinder 51, which woud be equivalent to 180 degrees or half a revolution of the crank shaft. It will be further noted that both cylinders 55 and 55 operate in unison and likewise cylinders 59 and" operate in unison. The cycle of operation of cylinder 51 is exactly 180 degrees in advance of. the cylinder or one complete revolution in advance when compared to the crank shaft.

Likewise cylinders 59 and GI are 180 degrees in advance of cylinder 50 or one complete revolution in advance thereof as compared to the crank shaft. Again cylinders 55 and ii are 90 degrees in advance of cylinders 55 and 58 the same as cylinder 55 is 90 degrees in advance of cylinder 51.

On account of the particular arrangement of cylinders and the firing order thereof, it will be found that the cylinder 5"I is exploding while the cylinder 55 is under compression. Likewise cylinders 55' and 50 are exploding while cylinders 59 and SI are under compression. By means of this construction the compression of one cylinder acts as a cushion for another cylinder whose pistons are dircctly'connected, whereby the momentum and impulses from the power cylinder are partially absorbed through compression. in the opposite cylinder." The area of the two outer cylinders is made equal to the inner cylinder so that the impulse is the same whether the center or the outer cylinders are being fired and likewise whether the cylinders on one side of the crank shaft or the other are being fired. By means of' this construction,two equal and uniformly spaced impulses are had per revolution on each crank pin. The units 52 and 55 are arranged in identically the same manner as the unit 5i with the various cylinders thereof being fired in the same relative order as the cylinders of unit 5i. However, the cylinders of this unit are fired 120 degrees later than the cylinders of unit H and the cylinders of unit 53 are firedvw degrees later than unit 5|. With this arrangement of parts the equivalent of a twelve cylinder engine is procured .through the use of but three crank pins.

In the operation of our invention the power with the resultant of the pressures applied to the central cylinder so that the firing of either the outer or the inner cylinders acts in exactly the same manner upon the crank pin. By the use of the yoke and through the pistons directly connected to the same through fixed connecting rods, no lateral forces are applied to the pistons. The cushioning of the one cylinder through the other is procured through rigid means directly connecting the pistons of the relative cylinders. This eliminates the necessity of transmitting such cushioning through the bearings of the crank shaft and consequently reduces wear on the crank shaft and its bearings. By means of our improved construction, wrist pins and pivoted connecting rods are eliminated, thereby greatly reducing friction and increasing the economical performance of the engine.. With our invention the piston units aresymmetrical and completely balanced. Due to the use of a yoke instead of a swinging connecting rod in transmitting the translatory movement'of the pistons to the crank shaft, the power is transmitted through a greater exhaust on the other side, the motor is more angle of rotation than would be the case where a swinging connecting rod were employed. By means of the guides on the top and bottom of'the yoke the alignment of the pistons and yoke is permanently maintained and the moving partscaused to move in a direct rectilinear path.

Through suction and firing on one side of the crank shaft simultaneously with compression and nearly balanced and the positive forces caused to directly neutralize the negative forces tend ing to produce rotation of the crank shaft. With our invention the cylinders and pistons will not wear outof round. Considerably more power may be procured from a unit of given overall dimensions constructed in accordance with our invention and atthe same time considerably less weight is required.- With our invention a ,much shorter crank shaft can be employed and consequently more rigid construction results in which vibration isgreatly lessened. The transmission of power to the crank shaft is always in the same direction throughout the entire movement of the pistonsso that more uniform torque is procured on the crank shaft. By the use of the yoke instead of a swinging connecting rod lateral movement of the connecting rods is eliminated. With'our invention each yoke takes the place of four connecting rods and thenumber of bearings in the engine can be correspondingly reduced including both main bearings, crank pin bearings and wrist pin bearings, the latter being entirely eliminated. Due to the particular method ,of application of the powerto the crank shaft-by use of the yoke, poweris transmitted to the same throughout a greater angle of rotation of the crank shaft and the exhaust valves may hencebe-kept closed for a greater angular;

distance during the impulse .stroke than would otherwise be possible. with our-invention piston slap and cocking or binding of the pistons is entirely'prevented. The energy lost in the swinging connecting rods is also eliminated with our invention. 'Due to the fact that the outer pistons are of a-combined total area equal to the area of the center piston constant balance is maintained throughout the operation of the engine. The pistons may be removed from the rods without taking down the motor but merely removing the cylinder-blocks in which they operate. Thereafter theratio of compression may as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An engine comprising a crank shaft, a yoke connected to said crank shaft, and movable in a direction at right angles to the axis of the crank shaft, a cylinder disposed on one side of, said crank shaft with its axis extending in the same direction as'thedirection of movement of said yoke and lying in a plane. containing the axis of said crank shaft, a pair of cylinders disposed one on each side of said aforementioned plane, the axes of said cylinders being equally spaced from said plane and parallel therewith and lying in a plane at right angles to said first plane and containing the axis of said first named cylinder, said last named cylindersbeing connected together, pistons in said cylinders and means for rigidly connecting said pistons to said yoke.

yoke and lying in a plane containing the axis of said crankshaft, a pair. of cylinders disposed one on'each side 'of said'aforementioned" plane, the

axes of said-cylinders -being equally spaced from said plane and parallel therewith and lying in a plane at right angles to said first plane and containing the axis of said first named cylinder, said last named cylinders being connected together, pistons in said cylinders and means for rigidly connecting said pistons to said yoke, said second. named cylinders having a combined displacement substantially equal to that of said first named cylinder.

3. In an engine, a crank shaft, a piston structure disposedon one side thereof, a second piston structure disposed on the same side thereof, the arrangement of said piston structures being such that the position of the resultant of the pressure acting on the one piston structure is substantially the same as the position of the resultant of the pressure acting upon the other piston structure,

a third piston structure disposed on the side of said crank shaft opposite said first piston structure, ,a fourth piston structure disposed on the same side of said crank shaft as said third piston structure, the arrangement of said third and fourth piston structures being such that the position of the resultant of pressure acting-on the third piston structure is substantially the same as the position of the resultant of the pressure acting upon the fourth pmton structure, and substantially the same as the positions of the resultants of the first and second piston structures,

means for rigidly connecting all of said piston structures together and for impartingrotational movement, to said crank shaft.

4. In an engine, a crank shaft, a cylinder disposed on one side of said crank shaft with its axis at right angles to the axis of said crank shaft and constitutinga cylinder unit, a group of cylin-' ders, symmetrically grouped about said first cylinder and having their axes parallel with the axis of said first cylinder, :the cylinders of said group being all interconnected and constituting a second cylinder unit, a cylinder on the opposite sldeof said crank shaft in axial alignment with said first named cylinder and constituting still another cylinder unit, a group of' cylinders symmetrically grouped about said last named cylinder, said last named group of cylinders having their axes parallel to the axis of said last named inders,

cylinder and constituting a fourth cylinder unit, pistons in said cylinders, means for rigidly connecting all of said pistons together and for imparting rotational movement to said crank shaft.

5. In an engine, a crank shaft, a cylinder'disposed on one side of said crank shaft with its axis at right angles to the axis of said crank shaft and constituting a cylinder unit, two cylinders symmetrically grouped about said first cylinder and having their axes disposed in the plane containing the axis of the first cylinder and at right angles to the axis of the crank shaft, the two cylinders being interconnected and constituting a second cylinder unit, a cylinder on the opposite side of said crank shaft and in axial alignment with said first named cylinder and constituting a third cylinder unit, two cylinders symmetrically grouped about the cylinder of said third cylinder unit and disposed on the same side of the crank shaft as the cylinder of said third cylinder unit, said last named cylinders being connected together and disposed with their axes in said aforementioned plane, pistons in all of said cylinders, and means for rigidly connecting all of said pis- -axis at right angles to tons together and for imparting rotational movement to said crank shaft.-

6. In an engine, a crank shaft, a cylinder disposed on one side of said crank shaft with its the axis of said crank shaft and constituting a cylinder unit, a group of cylsymmetrically grouped about said first cylinder and having their axes parallel with the axis of said first cylinder, the cylinders of said group being all interconnected and constituting a second cylinder unit, a cylinder on the opposite side'of said crank shaft in axial alignment with said first named cylinder and constituting a third cylinder unit, agroup of cylinders symmetrically grouped about the cylinder of said third cylinder unit and disposed on the same side of the crank shaft as the cylinder of said third cylinder unit, said last named group of cylinders being connected together and having their axes parallel to the axis of the cylinder of said third cylinder unit, means for charging all of said cylinders witha fuel mixture, means for alternately firing the cylinder units on each side of the crank shaft and for alternately firing cylinder units on opposite sides of the crank shaft, the firing of one cylinder unit occurring during compression of the fuel,

mixture in a unit on the other side of the crank shaft, pistons in said cylinders and means for imparting rotational movement from said pistons to said crank shaft.

HOWARD A. GUILFORD. EMERSON L. SOLAND. 

